Form handling mechanism for accounting machines



March 6, 1956 w. A. ANDERSON FORM HANDLING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 29, 1954 INVENTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON w yum-M ATTORNEY March 6, 1956 w. A. ANDERSON FORM HANDLING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 29, 1954 N INVENTOR. WALTER A. ANDERSON AT TORNEY March 6, 1956 w, A, ANDERSON 2,737,282

FORM HANDLING MECHANISM FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Filed 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,NORMAL.

IN VE NTOR WALTER A. ANDERSON ATTORNEY United States Patent FORM HANDLING MECHANISM- FOR ACCOUNTING MACHINES Walter A. Anderson, Trumbull, Conn., assignor to Underwood Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application June 29, 1954, Serial No. 440,133

Claims. (Cl. 197-127) This invention relates to accounting machines having a travelling paper carriage and more particularly to a mechanism for handling short forms, such as checks and the like.

Among the many types of work to which an accounting machine is adapted is that of filling out employees? pay checks, on which checks are printed amounts entered in the machine keyboard and amounts computed in the totalizers of the machine.

The usual practice when operating the machine, is to insert, remove and pile such checks, manually. These operations, combined, consume a substantial portion of an operators time. A

One object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism in which a form that is manually inserted in the machine carriage is automatically removed therefrom after the completion of a printing operation and during subsequent return of the machine carriage.

Another object of the invention is to provide a form handling device which automatically withdraws a completed form from a form holder and delivers the form into a container for stacking in serial order.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism as described above that is simple in construction, economical to manufacture, and dependable in operation.

With these and incidental objects in view, the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations of parts, a preferred embodiment of which is hereinafter described with reference to the drawings which accompany and form part of thisspecification.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a right hand perspective view of an accounting machine embodying the present invention,

Figure 2 is a right hand perspective view of the present invention as seen from the front of the machine, and showing the parts substantially in their normal positions,

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the form, or check, withdrawing means, showing the parts in their normal, or ineffective position,

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing the parts in the positions they assume while a check is being withdrawn from its holding means,

Figure 5 is a detail view showing the means provided for detenting the paper withdrawing means in both its effective and ineffective positions,

Figure 6 is a fragmental front view of certain of the parts shown in Figure 2, showing the parts occupying their normal positions,

Figure 7 is a view similar to Figure 6, showing the parts in the positions occupied near the end of a tabulation of the carriage,

Figure 8 is a view similar to Figure 6, showing the parts in the positions assumed at substantially the instant prior to the operation of the check withdrawing means from its ineffectivev to effective position,

Figure 9 is a right side vertical elevation showing the form withdrawing means inits normal position,

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2 Figure 10 is a fragmentary detail view of the means for actuating the paper clamp, the parts being shown in their normal position,

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 8 showing the parts in the positions they occupy when actuated to clamp the check for its removal from its holding means, and

Figure 12 is a fragmentary detail view of the means for actuating the paper clamp to clamp the check and effect its removal from its holding means.

The present invention is exemplified herein in connection with an accounting machine generally similar to that illustrated and described in Patents Nos. 2,194,270 and 2,209,240, to O. J. Sundstrand, dated March 19, 1940, and July 23, 1940, respectively, my Patent No..2,536,524, dated January 2, 1951, and the same as the one in my application Serial No. 400,467, filed December 28, 1953, to all of which reference may be made for an understanding of features of construction and mode of operation not fully described or illustrated herein.

Referring now more particularly to Figure 1, the machine consists of a stationary machine base section generally designated by the numeral 10. A keyboard 11 embodied in said stationary section includes amount entering keys 13 and machine cycling keys 14 and 16. The machine also includes type bars 17 for printing on a check 19 under the control of stops set by the depression of amount keys 13 and of the totalizers (not shown) which compute and accumulate amounts set up in the amount entering keys 13.

Mounted on the stationary machine base section 10 is a carriage 20, movable transversely thereon in a tabulatory or working movement from right to left under the control of an escapement mechanism, described in Patent No. 2,194,270, by means of the spring powered tape usually provided therefor, and in its return movement by means of the power initiated machine cycling means also described in said patent.

The carriage 20 carries the check holder 22 more particularly described in my above noted copending application. The check holder 22 is freely slidable on a bar 21 in carriage 20 and carries a pair of spring actuated clamps 23 to hold a check or similar short form in printing position. The check holder 22 is normally held in the position shown in Figure 1 by a magnet (not shown) fixed in an arm 24 on the check holder, which magnet is magnetically coupled to an upstanding fixed plate 27 on the machine base 10. The check holder 22 remains in the position shown during a major part of the tabulating movement of the carriage 20 to enable a plurality of printings to be made on the left section of the check 19 and until a plate 25 on bar 21 engages a second magnet 26 on holder 22 and moves the holder 22 leftward during the remainder of the tabulations to enable printing on the right section of the check.

After completion of the entries on the check, the carriage will be returned to the right, magnet 26 holding to plate 25 and moving the check holder 22 to the right until the magnet on arm 24 contacts plate 27 to arrest and hold the. holder 22 in its rightmost position.

During the remaining portion of the carriage return movement, the check 19 is automatically withdrawn from the holder 22 and dropped into a receiver 97. The check is withdrawn by a clamp 29 which is movable'with the carriage 20 and which grips the check between a pad 50 on clamp 29 and a serrated pad 52 on. a plate 53 of carriage 20 as the holder 22 is arrested, continued movement of the carriage pulling the check to the right out of holder 22. Referring to Figures 2, 3, 4, 9, and 11, clamp 29 is pivoted on a stud 31 fixed in a bracket 32. Bracket 32 is secured: to a second bracket 34 slidably mounted on a shaft 35' in carriage 20 and has a forwardly extending tongue 37 slidable in agroove of a bar 40 also fixed in carriage 20. A pair of studs 92 in bracket straddle plate 53 when the check is being Withdrawn to stabilize the clamp 29 against forward play. The rear arm of clamp 29 is slotted to engage a pin 41 in a three armed lever 43 pivoted on a second stud 44 in bracket 32, a rear arm of lever 43 carrying a pin 46 which is engaged by the slotted end of a tension lever 47 pivoted on a stud 49 in bracket 32. A spring 55 connected between pin 41 of clamp 29 and a pin 43 in the rear end of lever 47 will hold clamp 29 in either set position for clamping or releasing a check.

Clamp 29 is moved into a clamping and back to its released position during a return movement of carriage 20. To so move clamp 29, a shaft 56 is pivoted in the carriage 20. Secured to shaft 56 is a channel member 58 that engages a pin 59 in a third arm of lever 43, shaft 56 also having secured thereto a pair of cams 61 and 62, see also Figures and 12. A trip arm 64 is pivoted on a stud 65 in a bracket 67 secured to the stationary base section 19 of the machine and has a bent-over car 63 that engages bracket 67 to position said trip arm to engage earns 61 and 62, a spring 74) permitting trip 64 to be bypassed by cams 61 and 62 during the tabulating movements of the carriage. Secured to the left end of shaft 56 is a lever '72 carrying a pin 73 engaging in notches in a lever 78, tensioned by a spring 79, to detent clamp 29 in its open and clamped positions respectively.

Mounted on the base section 10 of the machine is a bracket 81, Figures 6, 7, and 8. Detent 84 pivoted on a stud 82 of bracket 81 is tensioned by a spring 90 to bear against a bent-over ear 85 of bracket 81, positioning an upstanding eg 87 of detent 84 beneath and slightly clear of the bottom edge of bracket 32 as shown in Figure 6.

As the carriage tabulates, bracket 34 will move with the carriage and carry bracket 32 and clamp 29 with it until the upstanding leg 87 of detent 84 abuts the left edge of a lug 93 on the lower edge of bracket 32. The brackets 32 and 34 are thereby restrained from further laterial movement with the carriage since they are freely slidable on shaft 35. During further tabulating movement of carriage 2Q, bracket 32 remains stationary until the side plate 94, Figure 7, of the carriage 2t) strikes the right side of bracket 34 and carries brackets 32 and 34- with it until the column-by-column printings on check 19 are completed, the upstanding leg 37 of detent 84 being depressed by lug 93 on bracket 32 and returning to its rest position to the right of the lug 93 during the further tabulation of the carriage. During movement of carriage while bracket 32 is held by detent 84, pad 52 is advanced leftward from its position oppositely disposed from pad on clamp 29. During the tabulating movement of carriage 2i), cams 62 and 61, respectively, idly pass by the dog 64 due to the yielding of spring 76. Such relative movement between carriage 20 and brackets 32 and 34 is required by the distance clamp 29 projects from the front of the carriage 2t Clamp 29 cannot pass behind the part of base 10 which supports type bars 17 and is thus arranged to be stopped before it gets to such base part.

After the last printing operation, carriage 20 is automatically returned toward the right to its normal or first printing position. As the carriage returns, brackets 34 and 32 move with it until the lug 93 on bracket 32 engages detent 84, as seen in Figure 8, which prevents further lateral movement of bracket 32 until the carriage has re turned to the position where pad 52 is opposite pad 50 in clamp 29, and in position to clamp check 19. When the carriage reaches this position, a collar 96 on shaft .56 strikes the left side of bracket 34 and carries the bracket with it. Detent 84 is rocked clockwise by the lug 93, stretching spring 90 to release the bracket 32. Substantially at the same time cam 61 engages dog 64 and rocks shaft 56, causing channel 58 into which pin 59 has reenter-ed at this time to act upon pin 59 and 4 rock levers 43 and 47 to close the clamp 29 on check 19, the clamping tension being provided by spring 55.

It is to be noted that clamping of check 19 occurs in the first part of the return of the carriage. Thereafter, when arm 24 of check holder 22 strikes plate 27 and arrests movement of holder 22, the check is drawn laterally from the holding means 22 until it is positioned above a receiver generally indicated by the numeral 97, Figure 1. At this time, cam 62 engages dog 64 (see Figures 3 and 10) to rock shaft 56 in the return direction, which releases clamp 29 and permits the check 19 to drop into receiver 97.

The receiver is arranged to pile the checks therein serially. In general, it consists of a box-like structure that is secured to the stationary section 10 of the machine. Mounted therein is a deflector 100 that is downwardly and rearwardly disposed with relation to the vertically held check 19 so that, when the check is released by clamp 29, its lower edge will strike the table 100 and deflect the bottom rearwardly, the check dropping face down in the receiver and piling in serial order. Forming part of table 100 is a trough M2 for supporting a supply of blank checks in a position convenient to the operator of the machine.

While the form of mechanism herein shown and described is admirably adapted to fulfill the objects stated, it is to be understood that it is not intended to confine the invention to the specific embodiment for the invention is susceptible of embodiment in various forms within the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In an accounting or the like machine having a stationary section including printing means, a travelling carriage shiftable on said stationary section and a form holding mechanism mounted on said carriage for movement with said carriage during only a part of the carriage travel, the combination of a friction pad fixed to said carriage, a pivotal clamp member engageable with said pad to hold a portion of a form therebetween, and cooperative means on said stationary section and said carriage, said cooperative means first operating during movement of said carriage in one direction and while said form holding mechanism is moving with said carriage to shift said clamp member to clamping position, said clamp member during continued movement of said carriage acting to Withdraw a form from said holding mechanism after the mechanism is arrested, said means later operating during carriage movement to move said clamp member to released position to free a form held thereby.

2. In an accounting or the like machine having a stationary section including printing mechanism, a travelling paper carriage shiftably mounted on said section for presenting forms to said printing mechanism and a form holding device slidably mounted on said carriage, said form holding device being normally stationary but movable with said carriage during an end portion of its move ment, the combination of a friction pad on said carriage, a clamp cooperative with said pad While said form holding device is moving with said carriage to grip a form held in said device and to withdraw the form from said device by continued carriage movement when said device is held stationary, a pivoted shaft and members connected therewith to move said clamp to and from a gripping position, a by-pass pawl pivoted on said stationary section and earns secured to said pivoted shaft and engageable with said by-pass pawl to operate said clamp during movement of said carriage in one direction.

3. In an accounting or the like machine having a stationary base section including printing mechanism, a travelling paper carriage mounted on said base section for tabulating and return movements, a work sheet holding device slidably mounted on said carriage and mechanism to move said sheet holding device with said carriage for an end portion of the tabulating movement and a beginning portion of the return movement thereof, the combination of a friction pad mounted on said carriage, a pivoted clamp movable toward said pad to grip between said pad and said clamp, a portion of a work sheet held in said holding device, a bracket slidably mounted in said carriage to support said pivoted clamp, means on said base section to move said clamp and bracket out of opposing relationship with said pad near the end of carriage tabulating movement and to return the clamp and bracket to said relationship near the beginning of a carriage return, and cooperative means on said carriage and base section operating during carriage return to move said clamp into a gripping position prior to release of said sheet holding device from said carriage to withdraw a sheet from said holding device after the holding device is stationary and during continued return movement of said carriage, said cooperative means also operable to release said clamp to discharge the work sheet.

4. In an accounting or the like machine having a stationary base section including printing mechanism, a form holding carriage travelling on said base section in tabulating and return directions, and a work sheet holding device slidable on said carriage and normally stationary with respect to said base section but movable with said carriage for an end portion of the tabulating movement and an equal beginning part of the carriage return movement, the combination of means to withdraw a work sheet from said holding device, comprising a friction pad on said carriage, a pivoted clamp opposed to said pad and operable to grip a portion of a work sheet between said clamp and said pad, mechanism on said carriage to operate said clamp, a by-pass arm on said base section, a cam arm engageable with said by-pass arm to move said clamp operating mechanism to clamping position while said work sheet holding device is moving with said carriage and a second cam arm engageable with said by-pass arm during carriage return and after the work sheet has been withdrawn from the sheet holding device by the arrest of the holding device to move said clamp operating mechanism to the clamp releasing position.

5. In an accounting or the like machine having a stationary base section including printing mechanism, a form holding carriage travelling on said base section in tabulating and return directions, and a work sheet holding device slidable on said carriage and normally stationary with respect to said base section but movable with said carriage for an end portion of the tabulating movement and an equal beginning part of the carriage return movement, the combination of means to withdraw a work sheet from said holding device comprising a friction pad on said carriage, a pivoted clamp opposed to said pad and operable to grip a portion of a work sheet between said clamp and said pad, clamp operating mechanism, a bracket slidable in said carriage to support said clamp and said clamp operating mechanism, detent means on said base section to restrain said bracket from movement with said carriage during an end portion of the carriage tabulating movement and a beginning portion of a carriage return movement, a pivoted member in said carriage, a releasable connection between said clamp operating mechanism and said pivoted member, an arm on said base section, a cam on said pivoted member engageable with said arm during carriage return and while both said bracket and said holding device are moving with said carriage to shift said pivoted member and clamp operating mechanism to clamping position and another cam on said pivoted member engageable with said arm to return said pivoted member, said clamp operating mechanism and said clamp to their released positions during continued carriage return and after said holding device is arrested and the work sheet withdrawn therefrom.

Hart July 12, 1938 Woodgate July 1, 1947 

